hid by the Lord Jer. 36.26 For the one Prophesied the other wrote and published sharp Rebukes both indeed were pretious Jewels Mal. 3.17 other common stuff we do not so prize Moses is made worthy on 't and hid in that Rock Exod. 33.22 in the Clefts of it And so Cant. 2.14 is the Spouse and in the secret place of Stairs that Christ in private may better hear and see her Thus Psal 32.7.143.9 David fled to hide in God But this being too large a Field to reap I cull out a narrow Query a Case of Conscience to resolve Some hiding implies guilt Gen. 3.8 Is it lawful for Worshippers to hide in their Duty May humane Prohibitions supercede Divine Precepts Answ For a man to prohihit what God commands or command what God prohibits is to set him in Gods Place as co-ordinate or above God which is the Blasphemy of Antichrist to make God give his Subordinate whence Humane Power derives Authority against himself But to speak a little to the Case abstractly of absconding in time of danger to evite mans rage 1. By distinguishing of it 2. By Position For destinction I say 1. To God no doubt it belongs to call in his Elijahs to hide by Cherith or at the Sareptans and to lay Ezekiel on the side silent I yield as Ezek. 4.4.6 for man so to do of his own will I scruple unless he dare pretend to such a Call 2. For God by his Providence to hide his Worshippers a while is one thing that is often For men without Precepts or against them to huddle up the Worship it self is doubted Again 3. For men to be expelled exposed and exiled from God's House Word Work Worship as Jer. 36.5 and supply it by the Pen as he is one thing To be voluntary self exiles to shut up our selves in solitude and leave our Duty tamely is another Once more To be scattered is the Adversaries sin that also is our sorrow to disperse in fear without force actual and military is our sin A bare Law could not loose Daniel from his homage to God 2. By Position I conclude on 4 points for Answer 1. Gods Law and Power is only absolute and arbitrary Our Obedience is first due to God to man in him only and against him not at all Act. 4.18 19.5.29 In the 1st place the query is put to the Council in the 2d is a Position what ought to be 2. Gods Word and Gospel-Worship ought to be open the outward Court of the People had no Covert as Christ did so we should speak openly as opposed to fear or to secrecy Christ and Gospel Worship are publick Blessings not only for Saints edifying but which is a nobler use for Sinners converting The Temple was on a Hill the East-gate three times higher than the House the Brazen Altar set just before the Out-Court all must look on the exhibiting of Sacred Misteries the Gospel ought not to be carried as stollen Goods under the Cloak to be a shame to it by our Walks or ashamed of it in our Worship is to incur a Wo and Curse Mark 8.38 3. 'T is ignoble to loose ground valliantly won by Christ's Worthies not like the Worthies of David of old that defended a Plat of Lentiles 2 Sam. 23.11 12. and so got a great Victory we are unworthy Bankrupts to let go too easily that noble footing Christ and brave old Apologists for the Word lately wan us and what is gained from our Foes by Providence 4. To fear or flee or faint in our Duty is sin tho it be to hide in the Temple as Nehemiah ch 6.13 was prest and tempted to do and that was the Place of worship but refused to leave a publick Duty for private Safety Our Lord and some others have fled but an example is not a warrant to act or desist without a Precept that is our set Rule I confess modern Practice rising from servile fear self-ends and save-skin Doctrine has through late Custome obtained some Imposition on most to private retirements some to gratifie Peters humour Mr. Pitty to thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Mat. 16.22.23 Some to indulge Nicodemites or them of Reputation and Note Gal. 2.2 Some ceding to men in power to their's and Truth 's loss or out of desire to kiss the Cross Orpah like and bid it a civil Vale or goeby have a late carried the Ark into Obed-Edom's House and confined the Gosspel to a narrow room as others do the Auditors to 4 or 5 but to them only I say had Daniel so done in his Domestick Prayer and shut the window that he opened towards Jerusalem ch 6.10 and wav'd Devotion for 30 days and said shall I gratifie Rapine and Rage loose my Place and Use to Court Sycophants and fall in the mouths of Lions and men worse for a criticisme of time or a Ritenicity no not so Where had the Promise been in 2 Chron. 6.38 given to Solomons Prayer respecting that Temple and his Simplicity where the boldness of a Prophet for God the glory of his Profession and Gods miraculous Salvation as also his Faith been Nay the Conviction of a Persian King Vers 28. sequent If any alledge Isai 8.16 as a Precept to us know it prohibits the Word to be Preacht to Scoffers any more that slight it Mat. 7.6 or reject it as Acts 13.46 Not unto those that loved and longed after it to all such it was to be sealed for safety and Secrecy as their Right Do you urge that Christ in John 12,36 did go and hide himself Sol. what our Lord did is not matter of Precept to us in all things and this teaches us that after the day of his Grace past it is just the things of our peace should be hid from our Eyes as Luke 19.42 43 44. but he speaks not of our hiding at all And for that of the Disciples John 20.19 being assembled and the Doors shut for fear of the Jews may not we do so To that I say all the Disciples did is not a Law for our Imitation that of assembling was good and our Pattern we are not here to forsake Assemblies of Saints as Heb. 10.25 But in their fear if sinful we are not to follow them all it shews is the Jews were opposite and to avoid what in them lay being obnoxious to their Envy or Fury they shut the Doors either weakly or warily for a cause of cautious fear there was they had killed their Master and would not surely spare the Disciples 't was meet to hold them fast without he that was Lord of the Sabbath being rose and to change it to first day on this day comes among them allays fears speaks peace and commissions them with Power and after we find them in every house but more in the Temple and Synagogues telling of his Resurrection as Acts 1.13.2.1.3.1.4.1 and even after an escape again in the Temple ch 5.25 Being now got above all Fears Worshippers may be hid
though once they were under Spain and are yet though reduced poor Republicans It hath been pleaded with Fathers such as Augustine Ambrose that when Bishop Ithacius of a turbulent Spirit caused Priscillian the Heretick to be put to death with others he was condemned first by Theognistus and after by Ambrose who at Tryers met with some of the Bishops partakers in that blood and refused Communion with him and them By the way note They are not to be communicated with that are of Trasonical Spirits and Truculent Courses To come home the Plea of Dissenters has by the Providence of God in all times past obtained in Britain I only touch what is of late memory It once obtained a proclaimed Indulgence and if there be no probability for that again I say Why what has been may be again if the Interest be as pungent as was then Wisdom and Moderation may stir the heart soon to the same calm course if some say it was in pity to the Roman Cause that I do not know nor dare not say it is more Charity to say it was a favour to the Dissenters but who dare judge the ends of it or deny that the thing is good 't was then so and being so repeated many will be content and thankful It has obtained in Parliaments Votes that to prosecute the Law against us was unsafe to the King and Kingdom and a promoting the Plot though one has most impudently in Print opposed his Opinion to the Judgment of a House of Commons in that It has obtained in Charters and Municipal Fundamental Laws if that Maxim hold That any Law against Gods Word is ipso jure void and deemed null Of that more anon It has gained with great Nobles Pears and Counsellors that as they once advised to let Worshippers go free Exod. 10.7 so have many since It is said of Francis I. of France being about to persecute the Protestants of Merindol and Cabriers he is informed by Lord Langay Governour of that Province they were Harmless Men Just Laborious Loyal to their Prince to the Poor Charitable in Prayers frequent as Cardinal Sadolet was also convinc't So at present he forbore till Minerius a turbulent fellow informs the King that 15000 of them were up in Arms So they were cut off Among Papists this though for their own ends has got ground witness the candid and brave Thuranus that going in Paris Streets on that Massacre day it forc't tears from him to see the barbarous usage of Protestants there And others said the like of the Waldenses And for this City fince Sir Sa. St. Mayoralty when the contest was hottest with Dissenters how has God pleaded their Cause and increast their numbers vindicated their Innocency against all Sham-plots and protected them from Violence and Treachery till this late and present storm fell 9. This Zeal is more hot than wise good men may affect heats but 't is not well and the Scriptures call the Zealots for Persecution to advert Joshua crys out against Eldad and Medad prophesying in the Camp and not among the Seventy Elders with Moses Numb 11. v. 26. This at first sight seemed a sinful Separation from God's Tent what says Moses Meek Soul says he v. 29. Dost thou envy for my Sake Would God all the People were Prophets and God would put of his Spirit on them q. d. So far am I from forbidding that I do approve v. 30. And so he did in both his Plea for them and after presence with them in the Camp Here is a self-denying Spirit and call to mind again what I slipt before but close this and clasp both with that some of the Clergy as late Bishop Worth Crafts and two more of lower rank but no less note have in Naked Truth some Sermons for Moderation and in four parts of a Pleafor Nonconformists by a grave ingenious Conformist given us a taste of Moses his Spirit their Mildness a witness against Violence and do herein deserve my hearty thanks 2d Script is Mark 9.38.39 and it is in Luke too Luk. 9.49 Young John complains to Christ of one that did Christ's work Cast out Devils but followed not with them and so first gave Interdiction and after consults Christ a preposterons percipitancy Hysteron proteron our Interdictions are not by Christs Allowance and so I hope will be by him interdicted Who dares to prohibit that an other should not cast out Devils ease Souls since none pretend to Miracles and do our Countrey what good we can we are not against Christ and so he takes us on his part A third Script is that of the Tares Mat. 13.27 38. Where our Lord forbids the Servant zealously asking leave to pluck up the Tares No says the Lord let both grow together till the Harvest c. Note hence that if the Field be the World the Tares the Children of the Wicked One c. Then 't is not meet to pluck up all sorts of the wicked Ones in a Nation by bulk be they Hereticks Schismaticks Prophane or detected suspected Hypocrites they must and will grow in the World nor is it the Ministers work to preoccupate the Judgment and be plucking up by death that is partaining to the civill Judge nor is Church Power here forbid or Civil Law and Justice superceded to the Judgment but Christ's Will is that some wicked men are not to be rooted out of the World for two reasons 1. 'T is possible with the Tares the Wheat also may be pulled up and so the good fall with the bad Jethro an Ishmaelite and Ornan the Jebusite may turn Israelites Luther a Monk and Vergerius a Papist may turn and of Tares become Wheat 2. To kill cut off ruine by Fines and Curses is the way to undo and says one There is no good Example in all Antiquity Jac. Aug. Thuanus Proem in Hyst for the Sectaries of those first Ages being destroyed the Church was still tender and abhorred to shed blood in Matters that concerned Religion and Conscience The matchless wise though young Edward VI. prest to sign a Warrant de Herctico comburendo said What shall I send him quick to Hell The like may be said of Mulcts of a lower sort and what amends comes by the Penalty or is there any proportion in the pain to the Offence A man may not see with my eyes or has a Mote in his and to cure that shall I cut off his head or put out the other eye that I may lead him where I list A sad Cure Then a fourth Scrip gives the advice of a wise Counsellor or Doctor as Nicodemus said to the Jews Doth our Law Judge a man by Fines Incarcerations c. ere it hear him Joh. 7.50 51. That is called Abington Law or Stanery's that did hang in the Forenoon and try in the After Or else as that wise Gamaliel said Refrain from these Men and let them alone Acts 5.39.40 The same also gave the Lord's Brederode c.
and it comes not by Rapine and Violence but by Increase of Righteousness And though the time is deferred and many Concussions precede the Conclusion yet are we to wait for it nay to solace our Souls in the frightful signs Preceding it as our Lord bids us to look up in the hope of this Redemption approaching for the Lords roaring out of Zion Joel 3.16 is but as a Preface to the Hope and Strength that he gives to his and his shaking of all things Hag. 2.7 is but to establish that Kingdom that shall remain Heb. 12.28 Never was a glorious reviving of hopes without a grievous Sentence of death Ezek. 37.10 2 Cor. 1.2 The very wild Irish may teach us that on the most stormy day we may lift up our heads as they on the Hills and joy in hope the next is fair Weather by turn Polanus observes that Sesostris King of Aegypt observing one of his Kings On Ezek. 1. drawing of his Chariot ey'd the Wheel ask't the cause he answered that he saw that part that earst was up now was low vice versâ on which he made the Moral and applyed it so loosed them from that Slavery For Promotion comes not from East or West but God pulls down one and exalts another Psal 75.6 Or as in Job setteth on high them that be low Joh. 5.11 Or as Mary sung exalts them of low degree Luk. 1.52 Fear not then ye Sons of Zion your King comes meek yet mighty riding on the Ass Zach. 9.9 that subjects to any burthen Though now you are banisht from the Ark submit and say Here I am 2 Sam. 15.26 in hope he will yet bring you again For in the days of these Kings 't is by Dan. 2.44 predicted the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom that shall not be shaken or given to others And if any ask How that Text v. 34.45 and it was the Dream of a King shows you Eben di al Bijdian ascissus lapis qui in manibus non est sine manibus Which notes not only that 't is out of the reach of humane hands to prevent that Kingdom the time being come for its commencement but above the help of secular means or hands to advance it I conclude this as one does a Book with warning to Princes to submit to the Redeemer and prevent the shower of Vengeance impending for six Changes are past in the World already and says he a seventh will be Sabbatical giving rest from all your Pride and Ambition And this takes the last place and turn but proves of the greatest extent And I add as the Course and Conjunctions of the caelestial Bodies and also of terrestial do all configure and concenter in this kingdom so the Councels of men and Contests about publick Affairs concur and contribute to it and all contrary Wheels that seem to have a counter motion in the way shal at last center in the same blessed Ends Viz. The sound of the last Trump an Alarm to Babel-Romes Fall whose Waters are now a drying up the pouring out of the last Vial that leaves not Air for her Tyranny to breath in And as that late Dr. says Dr. T. G. in Apoc. pag. 190. The nearer this Kingdom is as a Gulf to swallow all Time the greater Changes will Christ make and to see no Preparations to it may not discourage our Faith since of things extraordinary there needs none being the Efforts of divine hands 3dly And last of all there springs up a Well of Support to devout and constant Souls from the Providence of God that like the eye scouts out to and fro and prevides Perils provides Preservatives and stands armed on Sentinel to secure the main Guard and rescue his Men and Matters assaulted Now this is the Wheel full of Eyes that Christ's Chariot of Love runs upon and is often swift seldom stands never runs idly by Rote or blind Chance and Casualty far less retrogade or to overturn them that are in it for Christ doth guide it Sirs could we take right Measures of Gods Providences in former or latter days instead of a Quarrel we should take up that admiring word Ezek. 10.13 and say Oh Wheel But 't is hard to see both sides of things at once for often Providences have a dark side at first view presenting to our terrour and after a bright side is seen as that Cloud betwixt Israel and Aegypt had of old but the Lord turned the dark side to the Aegyptian Host and the bright to Israel by Night Exod. 14.20 24 25. So they were preserved the other bemisted their Wheels took off and they troubled No Fate or Fortune rules in the smallest or most contingent accident a Sparrow or a Hair's Fall to the Ground is under the Eye and Care of the All-seeing Providence And if he inspects so small Trifles will he slight far greater and suffer his Servants to fill in his Work unregarded Now in two things Providences act powerfully 1. In punishing of Aggressors 2. In protecting and rescuing Attenders on him 〈◊〉 Providence has an horn of power to push and punish them that assail his Worship These come out of his hand and the power is there hid that acts them yet seen after Hab. 3.4 Balaam would go and curse but cannot God held him from Honour that he sought for the curst Bruits have short horns or else break them in the very Walls of Zion the Bow drawn at adventure is guided to the joynt of Ahab's Armour and fetcht that man off Angels execute the sentence of Gods wrath if he give but Commission and smite Herod with lice so he 's dispatch Acts 12. ult And now the word grows and prospers the Instances of former and later Judgments are many having noted divers before I need not save to point out two or three now Lybanius scornfully asking one What was the Son of the Carpenter doing Sandapilam concinnare Fabri Filium inquit c. Euseb p. 769. Was as readily answered He framed a Coffin for that Scorners Master Julian And so it shortly fell out that Apostate dies and this scornful Sophist's mouth is stopt In Fox many are the Examples cited of providential Revenges for the Martyrs At Chattam two were preserved by the Fall of two great Stones off the Wall that caused the Bench to rise and leave off that Work So by Q. Mary's Death many condemned to be burnt were yet saved Let me add that of Jo. Ruse Counsellor after the report of the process against the Innocents in coming from the Court was seized in his belly suddenly with a burning and in his Secrets so died wofully without remorse Nor are late days without Remarks of Providence witnessing God's Wrath on some for his Word sake and Messengers scorn'd by them One comes out that mock't at the word in publick and a tyle fell on his head and killed him So Providence did revenge for an Ordinance by him despised Examples be endless of